Public health guidance on use of interferon-gamma release assays in support of TB diagnosis

public health guidance-18 Mar 2011

This report sets out the evidence on IGRAs and their use in the diagnosis of latent and active tuberculosis.After reviewing all available evidence, the expert panel concluded that ‘IGRAs should not replace the standard diagnostic methods for diagnosing active TB.’

Despo Pieridou

Pavla Krizova

Czech Republic

member, Head of Dept. of Airborne Bacterial Infections in the National Institute of Public Health, Head of the National Reference Laboratory for Meningococcal Infections, Head of WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Streptococci, National Institute of Public Health